Purpose
The Georgia Communication Association was established in 1931 for the purpose of fostering interest in communication studies, arts, and education. More specifically, the organization’s by-laws specify its mission as:
- studying the needs of communication education in Georgia;
- providing opportunities in the communication field for the youth of Georgia;
- promoting and assisting in developing the standards for communication education in Georgia;
- developing and promoting a spirit of collegiality among communication professionals and other professionals interested in sharing ideas, common purposes, and expertise.
Member Organization
The Georgia Communication Association, is the state affiliate of the National Communication Association. GCA is governed by an Executive Committee nominated and/or appointed from the membership, as described in its constitution and by-laws.
It welcomes a diversity of members from all communication disciplines, including speech communication, mass communication, organizational communication, public relations and theatre. Members represent both public and private institutions. Membership is open to faculty and students at the high school, college, and university levels, and to anyone else who is interested. Membership is especially encouraged for those in bordering states.
Activities
The Georgia Communication Association sponsors different activities and publications for its membership. Among them are the following:
- Conference: GCA hosts an annual conference for its membership in different cities or locations in Georgia. The conference features research, pedagogy, and general-interest presentations, workshops, and seminars in communication studies, education, pedagogy, and arts.
- Publications: GCA currently publishes an annual Conference Proceedings and an annual Membership Directory, both of which are provided free of charge to its membership and guest speakers at its conferences. Recent copies of the Proceedings are available online.
- Advocacy: Executive Board members represent the interests and needs of the membership to the National Communication Association, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and other state and local officials.
- Website and Listserv: GCA operates a website and listserv for use by its membership, accessible at all times by computer.
- Student Activities: Since its inception as an organization, GCA has supported a variety of student activities, including student presentations at conferences, competitions, and scholarships.